TIIE OMAHA DAILY BEE, MONDAY, MAllCH 11, 11)07.
Tun Omajia Daily Bee
FOUNDIU) BY EDWAhD liCSaTW A TK R.
VICTOR ROSEWATRR, EDITOR.
K.nlrd at Onmha pietofflce eecond
clan matter.
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OFFICES.
Omaha The Bee Building.
South Oninha City Hall Building.
Council JllufTs 10 Bearl Street.
Chicago 161 Cnity Building.
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CORRESPONDENCE.
Communication relating to new and ed
itorial matter ahould he addressed: Omaha
Bee, Editorial Department.
REMITTANCES.
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THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANT.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County, ns:
Charles O Rosewster, general manager
of The Hee Publishing company, being duly
worn, says that the actual number of full
and complete copies of The Dally. Morning,
Evening nnd Sunday Pee printed during ths
month of Februnrv, 1907, was aa follows:
1 31,600 1 31.OT0
I tP0 IT 30,390
t 30,100 1 83,630
4 31,630 19 33,OB0
t 31,680 10 33,650
S 31,670 21 33,470
7 33,130 21 39,400
1 31,680 21 33,00
33,130 14 JO, 630
10 30,430 2S 3B.C80
11 81,750 t 81,860
12 81,670 IT 33,050
13 81,640 18 33,130
14 81,640
It 31,860 Total 896,730
Leas unsold and returned eoplaa. . . 8.T63
Net total '. 686.657
Dally average 31,677
CHARLES C. ROSE-WATER,
Oeneral Manager.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before ma thle 1st day of March, 1907.
(Soul) M. B. H UNGATE,
Notary Public
WHE1 OUT OF TOWS.
Subscribers leaving; the city tent
porarily should hTt Tho Boo
mailed to them. Address will be
chanced aa often, as requested.
The senatorial deadlock In the Rhode
Island legislature has become really
serious. Even Senator Aldrlch says he
cannot break It.
Even the San Francisco papers have
toned down to a point, where they are
willing to admit that the Japanese are
all right In Japan.
Omaha, Los Angeles, Voulsville and
Detroit are 'well bunched In the weekly
bank clearings exhibit. That is pretty
good company to be In.
With the ministerial half fare cut
off, the congregation may expect an
application for increased salary for
the occupant of the pulpit.
President Roosevelt .sayr) he does not
like the designs on our - gold coins.
Most people do not know the designs
well enough to dislike them.
The Cubans would have no difficulty
in governing themselves if it were not
necessary to pass laws other than
those governing cock fighting.
Editor-Congressman -.Hitchcock Is
still boosting for Greater Omaha in his
editorial columns and .knocking
Apnlnar It In hla news mliimna.
..
Mark Twain has discovered that
most people in the country use white
clothes for night wear, although they
do not put them on until bedtime.
General Booth says that tainted
money 'may be purified by the tears
of widows and orphans.- Some people
seek . the same result by burning it.
The announcement of the appoint
ment of deputies for County Assessor
Heed should warn every one that the
tax assessor will soon bo once more
abroad in the land.
Apparently Secretary Taft wasted his
time in trying to induce congress to
pass the Philippine tariff reduction
bills, instead of going direct to the
Sugar trust with his arguments.
When Omaha comes to celebrate the
one-hundredth tmniversary of its city
government, wonder if anyone will
take the trouble to dig up the names
of the present council members.
One odious lobbyist has Anally been
ejected from the floor of thasenate
wing of the state house. No hired
lobbyist of the railroads, however, has
found the door closed in his face.
The president has not been very suc
cessful in getting his treaties ratified
by the senate, but he may have better
results if he succeeds in negotiating a
treaty with Harrtnian and his associ
ates. '
The city of Milwaukee is offering a
prize for the most appropriate design
for a new city seal. That's easy a
loaded schooner crossing the bar.
Please remit by money order or certi
fied chock.
Census reports show that Pittsburg
has fewer divorces than most cities,
but the newspaper reports would indi
cate that Pittsburg pays less attention
than most cities to the formality of
getting divorces.
A California orator, declared in a
burst of eloquence: ''This movement
is fathered by thousands of Cali
fornia's bust women," That's almost
equal to Congressman Dllly Suiter's
declaration, "Having set our hands to
the plow, we must sail ahead, let the
chlys (all where they my."
THK WtPS OrKiV TO MM ft V
It Is a'nntlceable fact hat those persons
who w re most violently opposed to the
open primary and secret ballot plan are
those that have been for years the political
manipulators, the wire-pullers and conven
tion tricksters, h hae depended Tor re
sults upon the ability to make politic. J
trad a m conventions to the Interest of
whom It is to prevent the people, the Inde
pendent voter of the state, from being able
to have a Word or two In the nomination
as well aa the election of Candidate.
Whether It effect tie the best tbat can be
obtained or not, It Is certain that It Is the
plan which la opposed by the politicians
and It Is the plan which will bring- the
nomination of public Office holder down
close to the people. World-Herald.
This all sounds very fine, but it dops
not Jibe with the opinion, of another
very high democratic authority sup
posed to be equally sollcitlous for the
people's rights, - yet who has pro
nounced against the wide-open pri
mary. Discussing the direct primary
in the issue of his paper dated Febru
ary 22 last, William Jennings Bryan
says:
The Commoner prefers the plan which
compel the voter to announce his, party
affiliations ; for without this the majority
party may make the nominations for the
minority party a well.
The editor of The Bee does not hes
itate to say, even with the prospect of
being classed among "the politicians,"
that we prefer the primary plan which
compels the voter to announce his
party affiliations. The wide-open pvl
mary makes It possible not only for
the majority party to make the nomi
nations for the minority party, but
also for the minority party, under cer
tain conditions, to make the nomina
tions for the majority party as well.
In the last city primary in Omaha, for
example, in which the democrats had
but one candidate for mayor as against
three in the republican lists, the demo
crats could easily have undertaken to
pick for the republicans the candidate
they regarded as likely to be moBt
easily defeated at the election.
' The sentimental plea for the .inde
pendent voter is well grounded for
the exercise of his sovereign right of
suffrage at the election, but it has no
application to a primary election to
choose the candidates of the different
parties. Every qualified citizen has
a right to vote at an election, but no
one has any right to participate in the
nomination of a party Candidate, ex
cept as he may be a member of that
party, and no one should object to the
enforcement of any reasonable test to
determine whether or not membership
in the party has been' properly ac
quired. The Bee favors a state-wide pri
mary. It would also like to have the
primary Jaw as nearly perfected for
practical operation as possible. .The
wide-open primary cannot possibly
prove as satisfactory in its working as
"the plan which compels the voter to
announce his party affiliations."
SO LOAttyO AT PAJiJtMA.
Every announcement that comes out
from Washington concerning the re
organization of .the Panama canal
under the engineers' corps of the army
carries an assertion, in one form or
another, that there will be no more
loafing or dawdling on the isthmus,
but that the real work of excavation
will proceed in earnest,, The impres
sion has been created by these an
nouncements, and strengthened by
critics of the canal management, that
but little progress has been made in
the actual work on the great enter
prise. The facts are all to the con
trary, and the records show that the
government has done an Immense
amount of work on the enterprise and
that remarkable progress has been
made in the last year.
The construction of the canal was
begun under most dopresslng condi
tions. While the publl3 sentiment had
been coached up to yceii. expectations,
the engineers in charge found it
simply Impossible to do anything in
the way of actual digging for more
than a year after the first working
corps reached the Isthmus. It was
necessary to practically rebuild all the
towns in the canal tone, adopt a sewer
age and sanitation system,, construct
water works and living places for the
laborers and make the cone a fit habi
tation for white men. This required
much time and the expenditure of a
vast amount of money, but the pre
liminary work has been done and the
force at the Isthmus is now devoting
its energies to dirt removal. The re
port of Chief Engineer Stevens shows
that In July, 19Q4, the United States
removed 31,599 cubic yards from the
Culebra cut; 78,670 cubic yards in
July, 1905, and 157,093 cubic yards
last July. This was increased to
244,844 cubic yards in August, and a
gain has been shown with each m'ontn
since. Last month 600,000 cubic yards
were removed, and Mr. Stevens hopes
to close the present month with a
record of 800,000 cubic yards.
Critics of the administration - have
been busily quoting figures to show
the large amount of money that has
been expended On the canal, compared
with the amount of actual excavation
work accomplished, but the conditions
on the Isthmus today furnish the best
proof that the money has been well
spent. The sanitary conditions have
been perfected, railway . facilities have
been enlarged, housing has been pro
vided for the army of laborers and all
preliminary work disposed of so that
the officials in charge may now direct
their entire attention to the work of
excavation and building with a cer
tainty that future reports. will show a
progress that will silence the most
raMtlous critics.
In the legislation for general reduc
tion of railroad charges, the euctloiib
of the Pullman company .for sleeylns
cr accominoditlous should not hi
overlooked. The traveller is. pow
compelled to pay more for ti shelf in a
Pullman car than for a well-furnished
room with a bath 'n u first -class hotel.
Pullman car patrons may be fewer
than the patrons of ordinary passenger
coaches, but they will welcome a
measure of relief Just as warmly.
"U.1WRITTKN LA IT" i,Y TIRO IS I A.'
The strongest word against the
theory of the "unwritten law" was ut
tered by Judge Harrison at Culpepper,
Va., the other day in delivering his
instructions to the Jury in a sensa
tional criminal case. Two Strothers
brothers were on trial for the killing
of one Bywaters, said to have wronged
and then married their sister. There
was no conflict in the evidence of the
case. The brothers had been present
at the marriage of their sister to By
waters, and had shot him to death
when he attempted to leave the house
to return to his own home after the
ceremony. Both families were promi
nently connected and Identified with
all the traditions of "honor" tn which
Virginians have held almost a mo
nopoly. In his instructions to the Jury,
the evidence and arguments having
shQwn that the defense proposed to
rely upon the "unwritten law" appeal,
Judge Harrison said.:
I cannot let the occasion pass without
aylng emphatically that no such law Is
known to the courts of this commonwealth.
If by such law it Is meant that a person
can take the law In his own hand and
right his wront, however great the wrong
suffered by him may be. Provocation,
however great, cannot Justify or excuse
homicide by a responsible person. It can
only be considered ' in mitigation of the
offense. Under certain circumstances It
will reduce murder to manslaughter, but
never Justify an acquittal. Every rational
pers m must seek redress for wrong through
the lnw and leave his vengeance to his (Jud.
The . court's declaration came as
something of a surprise to the Vir
ginians, whose respect ''for the "un
written law" had always been ample
to warrant acquittals In cases such as
was on trial. The Jury evidently was
Impressed more by tradition than by
the court's instructions, for it
promptly returned a verdict of not
guilty. Judge Harrison's comment on
the verdict was rather remarkable, in
view of his charge to the Jury. It can
be explained only on the theory that
his instructions were given as a Judge
while he spoke as a Virginian gentle
man after the verdict had been re
turned,' when he said:
Gentlemen of the Jury, 1 thank you for
a verdict which I think will 'he approved
by the public. It Is an established pre
cedent In the state of Virginia that no man
tried for defending the sanctity of hla-home'
should be found guilty.
It is well for the country that the
Virginia Idea does not obtain gen
erally. If Juries were to accept these
excuses murder would flourish as a
means of gratifying personal revenge
and hate. The right to kill in self
defense is as old as the ages, and the
courts and Juries have been slow to
punish a man who kills another in
defense of his home, but JuBtice . is
thwarted when the "higher plea" is
successful - In acquitting a man for
wrecking one home on his plea that
he Is defending his own. Defense be
hind" the "unwritten law" Is nothing
short of a plea of guilty with an ap
peal to the prejudices of the Jury. It
is as much a suspension of law in re
sponse to public opinion as is a lynch
ing in response to public passion.
THE AMERICAN DEATH RATE.
Remarkable progress is being shown
in practically everything that advances
the wealth and comfort of Americans
except in the matter of Improving the
health conditions of the people. Ac
cording to government statistics, cov
ering ten states and two-fifths of
the population, investigations in this
"health area" by the census bureau
show a death rate for 1905 of 16.2 for
each- 1,000 of the population. Com
pared with 1904 and 1903, the figures
fall to 'show' any Improvement, but
rather mark a retrogression.
This death rate Is higher than that
in England, Wales, Scotland or the
Netherlands and indicates that, the
American spirit of hurry and worry
may be charged with, a constantly in
creasing number of the causes of mor
tality. Bright's disease, apoplexy, dia
betes, appendicitis, nephritis and the
diseases which are generally admitted
to be due to dietary transgressions
and nervous strain are recorded as
having largely increased -their harvest
of victims, being exceeded only by
tuberculosis and cancer, the ancient
enemies of medical skill. '
Probably the showing would be less
severe if the statistics covered a larger
area of the country. The statistics cited
were gathered from Connecticut, New
LHanipshlre. Maine, Massachusetts, New
York, Rhode Island, Vermont,' Indi
ana, Michigan, New Jersey and the
District of Columbia, and from 123
cities in other states, the mortality
registration statistics in the other
thirty-five states not being accepted
as complete or reliable by the census
bureau. It will be noted that the great
west, where robust health is the nor
mal condition and the death rate ab
normally low, does not figure in the
atattstlcs except from a few cities.
Complete records from this section
would doubtless serve to materially
lower the mortality percentage..
In view of the time, money and en
ergy that have been expended in the
last few years In scientific research
into the problem of fatal and mena
cing diseases, this exhibit must be dis
appointing. Physicians have appar
ently entered upon an era of enlight
enment and broad-mlpdeofness, the dif
ferent schools uniting in the study of
causes and cures for human ills. In
stead of opposing each other. Col
leges have been amply endowed for
investigations along special lines and
si Me and Individual aid is being de
voted to tha campaign of sanitation
uud education for preventing disease
nnd establlnhlng and maintaining
htalthy conditions in the homes end
working places of the people. The re
mit of this activity must soon produce
gratifying beneficial effects. Its need
Is painfully emphasized by the depres
sing mortality statistics Just issued.
The development of the good physical
health of the nation Is more important
than progress In material riches.
A AtlT LISE OF THREAT,
When the railroad Influence at
Washington succeeded In killing an
amendment to the postofflce appropria
tion bill for a change In the method
of weighing the malls the railroad
managers were In high spirits and ac
cepted without great protest other pro
visions of the bill which provided for
a reduction of about $1,000,000 a year
on the Item of' railway postal cafs and
another $3,000,000 a year in lowered
contracts. Under the old law the mall
carried by a road for a week - of seven
days was divided by six to ascertain
the average dally weight, on which the
compensation to the railroads was
based. The roads succeeded in defeat
ing the amendment to make the
week's total divisible by seven to get
the dally average.
Bht Just after the adjournment of
congress Mr. Cortelyou, then post
master general, issued an order re
establishing the arithmetic as an au
thority and fixing seven, as the divisor
for the average of the weekly mall
total. This change will reduce the
mall carrying compensation about 11
per cent, meaning a loss to theht of
another $6,00d,000 a year. The rail
road managers haveMold the Postofflce
department that they cannot meet the
new limitations put upon them with
out changing their schedules to give
slower and less frequent train sarvlce.
They, assert that a -reorganization of
the train schedules and a dropping of
many trains, especially in the Sunday
traffic, will follow Inevitably. They
insist further that if the people com
plain of the poorer accommodations
they must blame the lawmakers and
the Post office department.
The average American has lived In
the woods too lonjr to be scared by
screech owls. Mall carrying is not the
exclusive business of railway trains
these days. The monthly statistics of
the different railroads show almost in
variably large increases in the pas
senger earnings and no railroad mana
ger can deny that, with the rapid de
velopment of the country, the pas
senger traffic of the country justified
the passenger train , accommodations
offered, without regard to the item of
mail carrying. The 'people want the
best possible mall facilities and are
willing to pay for them, but they are
not ready to stand and deliver to the
railroads whatever may be demanded
as compensation for 'mall transporta
tion. , . ' ,', j
Omaha High school iboys lost out In
their debate at Des Moines in which
they advocated election of United
States senators by direct vote of the
people. But they should not be dis
couraged. The irresistible logic of
events is pretty sure to vindicate thalr
position, even though It may not re
trieve their oratory. '
Our old legislative' friend, requiring
gasoline cans to be painted red, has
bobbed up again at the top of the bill
file at Lincoln and managed to run the
gauntlet of one branch of the legisla
ture. A red oil can, of course, will
not explode half as easily as a blue
one or a green one.
, Mr. Cortelyou celebrated his first day
as secretary of the treasury by taking
a lunch of salmon sandwich, mince
pie and a bqwl of , half and half.
Clearly the president should have
made Mr. Cortelyou secretary , of the
Department of Interior Affairs.
And now we are told that South
Omaha is "delighted" with the Lee
annexation bill. This Is substantially
the same bill that was killed two yeara
go by the South Omaha petition In
boots. . Oh, what a difference two
years make!
Colonel Bryan certifies In his Com
moner that'Mayor Dunne of Chicago
"has been an honest, courageous and
faithful mayor," who deserves a re
election. Roger Sullivan's endorse
ment has not yet been printed.
Mr. Hearst has formally announced
that he has no further use for the
democratic party, but returns from
several New York elections would an
dlcate that the democratic party beat
him to It.
That Missouri women who is seek-
ing a divorce because her husband
threw her valuable utarm clock out
the window ought to get a verdict.
No man should be allowed to waste
other folks' time.
If Mr. Harriman falls to carry out
his conciliatory promises relative to
the future management of American
railways President Roosevelt maf be
pardoned if he bus what the alienlatu
call a brain storm.
When that chicken stealing bill be
comes a law hen-roost poachers will
have to keep in close touch with the
poultry market to make sure tbat they
are stopping short of f 5 worth of fuse
and feather's.
. Ambassador Bryce may find it
necessary to explain at the White
House what he meant by that chapter
In his "American Commonwealth" en
titled "Why Great Men Are Not Made
Presidents."
BIT" or WAgltI(lTON L1FK.
Minor "eenea and Incidents Sketched
n the not.
Telegraph operators engaged In rallrosd
service demonstrated In an effective way
the importance of quickly reaching the ear
of congress In a crisis, while the I.Follette
hoiira-of-servlce bill was pending In con
ference during the closing hours nnd the
opposition was putting In Its deadly work,
word was sent along the lines that the
bill's life depended on prompt messages
of appeal to Individual senators and repre
sentatives. Within ten hours 20.000 tele
grams from all parts of the country were
rushed In upon congress. Every operator
In the country sent at least one message
to his congressman and to each of hi
senators, and got his friends to wire a hot
one In the same direction. At one time
two waste basket fuls of messages were
carried Into the house and dumped on the
desk for distribution. It looked like an
Insurrection of the whole United States.
Of course, there was pnly one. thing to do,
nd that was for the conferees to flu up the
bill to suit the operators and pass It.
A recent act of congress that will be of
great Interest to old soldiers was approved
February 8, 1907. This la an act granting
pensions to certain enlisted men, soldiers
and officers who served In the civil war and
the w.,r with Mexico. The act Teads aa
follows:
"Be It enacted by the senate and house
of representatives of the United Btateo
of America In congress assembled. That
any person who served ninety days or more
In the military or naval service of the
United States during she late civil war
or sixty days In the war with Mexico and
who has been honorably discharged there
from and who has reached the age of 6!
years or over shall, upon making proof of
such facts according to such rules nnd
regulations as the secretary of the interior
may provide, be placed upon the pension
roll and be entitled to receive a pension
as follows: In case such person has
reached the age of 62 years, $12 per month;
70 years, $15 per month; 75 years or over,
$20 per month, and such pension shnll com
mence from the date of the filing of the
application In the bureau of pensions after
the passage and approval of this net, pro
vided, that pensioners who are 62 years of
age or over and who are now receiving
pensions under existing laws or whose
claims are pending In the burenu of pen
sions nmy, by application to the commis
sioner of pensions In such form as ho may
prescribe, receive the benefits of this act,
and nothing herein contained shall prevent
any pensioner or peraon entitled to a pen
sion from prosecuting his claim and receiv
ing a pension under any other general or
special act; provided, that no person shall
receive a pension under any other law at
the same time or for tho same period that
he is receiving a pension under the provi
sions of this act; provided further, that
no peraon who Is now receiving or shall
hereafter receive a greater pension under
any other general or special law than he
would be entitled to receive under the pro
visions herein shall be pensionable under
this net.
"Sec. 8 That rank In the service shall not
be considered In applications filed hereun
der. "Sec That no penBlon attorney, claim
agent or other person shall be entitled to
receive any compensation for service ren
dered in presenting any claim to the bureau
of pensions or securing any pension under
this act."
So much Is being said about Mr. Car
mack's notable performance lu leading the
successful filibuster against the paasage
of the ship subsidy bill in the closing hours
of the senate that an even greater achieve
ment of the same kind by Senator Carter
of Montana at the close of congress in
1901 seems to have been ' forgotten.. Mr,
Carter, like Mr. Carmack, was serving the
last days of ,his term, he having been
re-elocted since then, after a lapse of four
years, relates the Washington Herald.
President McKlnley wanted the river and
harbor bill defeated, and William Eaton
Chandler, now chairman of the Spanish
Treaty Claims commission, was aeleoted to
talk the bill to death Mr. Chandler's sen
atorial term was drawing to a close, too.
He prepared himself elaborately for the
task set him by the president, but the
day before he was to begin Ms long fili
buster speech he unexpectedly was drawn
Into another long debate, which wore out
his voice. Mr. Carter then agreed to do
the Job. The Montana statesman, without
time for preparation, took the floor about
10 o'clock at night, and held it continuously
and almost without a break until nearly
noon the next day. When the managers of
the rivers and harbors bill reallxed that he
would continue to talk up to the very last
minute of the session, they surrendered and
withdrew their bill. Senator Carmack,
whose speech was one of the wittiest and
most brilliant heard In the senate for a
long time, talked only a few hours at two
sessions, whereas 8enator Carter was on
his feet virtually fourteen hours. He de
clared only recently that he had never yet
found time to read that speech.
Probably the moet remarkable voice In
the senate Is that of the senior Vermont
senator, Redfteld Proctor. It haa : been
called a boiler factory voice, but that de
scription does not begin to do It Justice.
When Mr. Proctor speaks every senator in
the chamber listens; he can not help hlm
oe.lf. The only way he can avoid hearing
what he says Is -by leaving the building.
A faint whisper from Prcctor can be htard
distinctly In the press gallery. His voice
is a deep bass and la preceded generally by
a low rumbling sound that aeems to come
from some far-away subcellar In his anat
omy. Then the words pour forth with
great rapidity with the Jarring force of
small thunder claps.
A senator whose Interests are more or
less mixed up with railroads, so the gi sslp
runs, dropped casually Into a seat Just in
front of Mr. LaFoliette.
"Senator LaKolleite," the eenator la re
ported to have said. In a low conversational
tone, "If you Insist upon pushing your slx-teen-hour
bill for consideration, to the det
riment of some matters" I am Interested In
I will follow you as long as I am In the
senate."
"I certainly hope you will do so," Mr.
LaFollette answered quickly. "I have grown
fat for the last fifteen years," he added,
"on Just such talk from railroad lobbyists
like you."
While the senate was on the eve of ad
journment last Saturday Mr. Frye of Maine
ratUr shocked his colleugucs for a mo
ment. He was on his feet making a report
from his committee on commerce on several
minor bills, a duty he performs frequently
and which, as a rule, attracts little Interest
or attention. Suddenly, raining his voice.
Mr. Fry exclaimed: "If I can get Immedi
ate consideration for that dam bill I will
promise the senate not to report another
dam bill this aesalon." Amid a general
laugh the bill was passed.
Abuses, Not Individuals. Assailed.
Kansas City Times.
The moods ct railway owners and oper
ators like Harriman whether deferential or
arrogant are matters of supreme Ind'AVr
ence to the public. But It would, save them
and the poopla alike much annoyance If
they would quickly realise that the people
are engaged In no agitation against the
railways, but against the abure ot railway
privileges, and that the public is so friendly
to the raUways that It Intends they shall
be fully developed for the benefit of thu
public service and nut of tbe stock brokers.
SF.BBAIK.A fHKM COMHK1T.
Rushvllle Recorder: Omaha celebrated
Its golden anniversary as a city goveri
ment on March $. We congratuHte our
metropolis upon the splendid progress It
haa made. May It continue to grow In
slxe and goodness.
Crelghton News: The Omaha Dee should
be commended for the stand It took on the
Thaw '.aae. Such horrible details of the
trial as were published by nearly all the
papers should not have been allowed to
pass through the mails, and fathers and
mothers should not allow the papers to
And a place In their homes. Ood speed the
day when sensationalism and ellowlshness
will be eliminated from the columns of
newspapers. The Fee's action Is certainly
worthy of emulation.
Schuyler Free Lance: A little bunch of
corporation men who belong to the Omalia
Commercial club got together qulPlly ot
one meeting of the club and passed a toko
lutlon opposing the 2-cent rallr,l rute
bill. That aroused the club members and
the next meeting was attended by a rlg
crowd and they knocked out that former
resolution and passed one that endorsed
the 2-cent passenger fare-and the terminal
taxation bills. When Omaha people will
get out from under railroad control It
looks as If the whole Nebraska people
outside the few hirelings about the state
were In the band wagon.
Central City Nonpnreil: The recent de
cision of the supreme court In the railroad
commission case emphasises the vital Importance-
of this tribunal to the campaign
for the "square deal" policies and makes
a consideration of the personnel of the
court both timely and necessary. The
legislature has already done much to re
deem the pledges the people demanded and
before the session closes will undoubtedly
have done much more. So far as the legis
lative enactments are concerned the peo
ple have, been able to asncrt their sover
eignty. It Is Important to rememlK-r Just
at this time, however, that the destiny of
those enactments rests In the- hands of
three men the members of the supreme
court of the state.
Ueatrke Times: We don't believe it.
There la a somewhat persistent rumor that
some of the aquatic people are going to
Invade Landlubber' Htnshaw'B district next
year and take his scalp because of his
opposition to the ship subsidy bill. He, no
doubt, was In a trying position. Two of
the other five Nebraska representatives
voted the same way. It certainly seems
unfortunate, from an American point of
view, that the most of our exports and
Imports are carried by foreign bottoms.
But here comes the question: If It would
be profitable for our own vessels to do
the carrying business why does not Amer
ican private capital undertake their con
struction? Ant" this question only raises
this other: If the ownership of vessels
thus employed Is unprofitable. Is It right
for this government to exploit their opera
tion? Schuyler Free Lance: In a recent edi
tion of The Omaha Bee a showing was
made of the bonds voted to various rail
road companies by Nebraska cities, coun
ties and precincts as bonuses for building
railroads In the state. They rap up Into
the millions and much of It Is still unpuld.
The Interest alone on those bonds amounts
to more than all the taxes paid, so we
fall to see wherein the jlroad companies
have any kick coming. Peoplo were loollsh
to vote bonds to railroad companies to get
them to build roads, but they did and now
have them to pay. Aside from theso
bonds, look at what the government
donated In lands and how It helped the
Union Pacific financially. The people ae
Just beginning to get their eyes open as
to railroad matters and demand fair treat
ment. It looks as if they would new
ret It.". ' ' ''
York Times: Of course the Union Pa
cific has a right to build a new head
quarters building In Omaha or not to
build, as It sees fit. It Is unfortunate, we
think, however, If the management feels
as though they, could not afford it Juit
now. A good many people will think it
la an effort to punish the state for what
haa happened in the courts and the legis
lature, and they will not stand for punish
ment. It is high time they abandoned
that policy. If they persist In It, their
friends will be driven by stress of public
opinion to abandon them. They must quit
trying to whip the people Into line and
adopt the policy of coaxing them. It la
much easier and will succeed far better.
The violent attacks upon. them by some
papers and politicians are equally repre
hensible. Let us all take it for granted
now that the railroads and the people
are coming together, that the former are
to be fairly treated and the latter are to
have their wishes and Interests consulted.
PEHKIX5 SEES THE) POINT.
Peril of t'slnsr Trust Panda for Cam
paign Purposes.
Chicago News.
George W. Perkins,- formerly vice presi
dent of the New York Life Insurance com
pany, haa sent his check for $51 "9.19 to
the president of that great depository of
trust funds. This sum represents the $48,
609, with Interest, which Mr. Perkins paid
to the treasurer of the republican cam
paign committee in 1904. He says he paid
the money In behalf of the Insurance com
pany and at the request of its president.
Though Mr. Perkins thought he was mak
ing this campaign contribution In the in
terests of those whose money lie was giv
ing away, he has found out In rooent
months that there are plenty of persons
who hold firmly to the contrary opinion.
Only last week the New York court of ap
peals gave him a close rub on the charge
of grand larceny, letting him go by a vote
of 4 to 8, with some highly appropriate re
marks about the Impropriety of the ex
penditure. So Mr. Perkins has given back the money.
That was the proper thing to do. Being
convinced against his will, he may be of
the same opinion stilt. In any event, he
and other custodians of trust funds have
had an excellent opportunity to learn what
the public thinks of the expenditure of
such funds for pollticul and similar pur
poses. The education of our great financiers Ik
prooeedlng in a fairly satisfactory manner.
Back to Mmple Division.
. New York Tribune. '
Mr. Cortelyou's last act as postmaster
general Is. much to be commended. In
vindicating arithmetical principles in the
computation of a day's carrying of the
malls he cut a knot which congress could
not find a way to loosen. The mystery of
"construction" was never carried further
than in the department's time honored
method of obtaining the seventh of a given
dividend by dividing It by six.
Soft Words of Harrlntan.
Chicago Record-Hurald.
The uncharitable are wondering what Mr.
Harrlman's "game" is, and what s)ieme
of stock manipulation his soft words are
concealing. But let us hope the conversion
ia genuine and suspend Judgment whllo
while the commission, the Department of
Justice and the conservative railroad men
continue their work of separating railroad
ing from stock gambling and of vigilantly
watching the Ilarriinans.
Speak hot as They Puss By.
Baltimore American.
The present and the future are con
stantly going and coming like passenger
at a railroad depot, each unconscious and
indifferent t lb other.
TIPS FOR THK t.KKILATI RB.
Blue Springs Sentinel: If the few demo
crats In the state lrglalature are ns suc
cessful filibustering the opposition Oil
the planks contained In the republican plat
form, as they were In securing their own
main plnnk, the two-cent fare Into law,
they can feel that thry have not lived In
vain. As1 the home run Is now bring made
the republicans will have to look wril to
their laurels or there will be none gleaned.
Nemman Grove Reporter: Have the
progressive republicans of the senatorial
district ever figured nut how greatly It
would bo to their advantage If they could
only get themselves disenfranchised? Boone
county Is one of the leading progressive
counties In the state and yet they are
represented In the senate by a man who
is recognised aa Burn's and McKesson's
chief aid, by a man who la standing
squarely on his past record. If. last fall,
some kind providence had taken away
their right to vote they would now have
a senator who would be working for what
they want.
Pavld City Banner: The republican legis
lature has gene to work this wltr to re
deem and make good every promise mads
to the people In the platform on which
they were elected, and we are pleased t
state that Butler county's representatives
are doing their part In redeeming those
pledges. It Is also a source of satisfac
tion to the people to see the opposition
standing shoulde: to shoulder with the re
publicans, asHlstlng In the enactment of
legislation demanded by the people. In
fact party lines have almost been wiped
out this winter and both branches are al
most a unite In the enactment of all Im
portant legislation.
Schuyler Free Lance: In the legislature
the fusion members all lined up for the
2-cent flat rate and many republicans were
against any change or for the Sheldon
Idea, but in spite of that the republicans
had a majority of moro than three to one
and had it all In their hands and will get
the political credit. They should have It,
too. The time for fuslonists to get such
credit was In the past when they had a
big majority and had the power In their
hands. But ther they fell down and did
practically nothing and were as bad a
bunch of corporation tools as ever were In
the state. Tbe day for the fusion 1st to
claim the credit for any such work Is past
and it passed because ot the failure to do,
after such profuse promises to so do. In
this leglHlature each fusion member is en
titled to Individual credit, but so far as
the party is concerned It Is a poor second
and cannot claim anything.
PEKSOXAL NOTES.
That air of profound gloom and melan
choly you nbte about- the newspaper bf
fices is occasioned by the cessation of the
daily visit from the esteemed Congres
sional Record.
Secretary Taft Is going to Cuba on a
very grave and important mission. The fate
of the Cuban republic may rest on the re
sult of his vie It. Ho Is going to see what
can bo done about cock fighting.
It Is now accepted that the wind blew
that Chicago subtreasury $173,003 off the
teller's desk Into the wacte banket and the
faithful Janitor cremated it. Must have
thought Uncle Sam had money to burn.
A Japanese paper announces that the
king ot Slam la about to undertake a
Journey around the world. He will first
visit Japan, sailing from thence to this
country, and proceeding home by way of
Europe.
The beauties of perfect discipline were'
never more forcibly Illustrated than they
were the other day when 2,500 children
inarched out bf a' New York public school
building in 'perfect order while tho roof
burned Over their heads And Muring brands
fell aboiit them.
Many candidates are being brought out
to take the seat of Senator Bpooner when
he resigns, notably among them being
Isaac Stevenson, a millionaire lumberman
of Wisconsin; Governor James O, Davl.lBun,
now serving his second term, and W. L.
Connor, lieutenant governor of the state.
March 1 Is a sacred day with the lathers
of Chicago. 1 1 Is the annual strike day,
and was observed this year with ceremonies
befitting the occasion. All hands quit work
and held aloof from toil until tho em
ployers came around and tendered the cour
tesies of the season. Then every man
grabbed his hatchet and got busy. Thus '
were the traditions of the craft upheld,
pauo ri.KASA.THIi:S.
"How does that punning woman manage
it? She is getting along lu society by leaps
and bounds."
"I suppjtie she mnnagob to do it by ths
hops she gives." Baltimore American.
"Oo! Ouch! That burns! I thought yoii
were a painless dentist :
"So I am, madam. I'm the only painless
dentist in the otllce. All I do is to make
the artificial teeth. The man that does the
extracting hasn't come in yet, but you in
sisted on having It done right away."
Chicago Tribune.
"Yes, ma'am," the convict was saying,
"I'm here Jim for tryln' to flatter a rich
man."
"The Ideal" exclaimed the prison visitor.
"Yea, ma'am, I Jlst tried to Imitate hi
signature on a check." Philadelphia Pres.
"Bnaggem Is a fine mathematician. He
can carry enormous sums in ills head."
"1'erhapa he can. 1 only wish he'd carry
the $2 he owes me where I can get at It.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
"Whom do you consider the greatest
statesman?"
"I can't say," answered Senator Sorghum,
"I have not ascertained who landed the
biggest appropriation." Washington Star.
i T 1 1 . . . k. , ... . i ,
4ii nun uiv PLuunurvi; excittiuieu ubj
In a terrible rage. "He calls me a blither
ing Idiot!"
"I would'nt pay any attention to It," coun
seled Percy. " 'Blithering' jjovsn't really
mean anything, you know." Chicago Tri
bune. "You made the most uf your opportuni
ties?" "1 did," answered the dunning financier.
"I managed to put mortgages on some of
my opportunities before llity really ex
Utd." Washington Slur.
Constituent Senator, you voted for that
Increase In congreoBionul salaries, I noticed.
Benator Lotsinun Ves; i did it on Ben-,
ator foormuu's account. You know I could
vote that way without being suspected ct
a selfish motive, and he ouuldn't. Chicago
Tribune.
TlliCY hKYKIt RKTIIIX.
Bookluver's Verse. ,
Umbrellas uruyed from clubland' halls
Come back, though not In silk;
The man who goeth out to balls
Keturneth with the milk,
The swallows come again, with spring
That fill when summer's spent;
But ull the seasons fail to bring
Me back the books I lent,
My senses strayed when Cella smiled.
Because her eyes wera bluck;
But now, no more, by love beguiled,
I've got them safely buck.
My heart I gave returned to jne
As lightly as It went;
E'en hopes long lust once more I see, ,
But not the books I lent.
All things return; In twilight gray
Day dins to dawn anew;
The beef that's sent below today
Will make tomorrow s auw;
The bill collector cometh back
With covetous Intent. '
All things return except, alack!
The books that 1 have UnU
They stood In "Russia" side by side.
They HI led the rosewood abrlf: -
They're now beloiiKing, tar and wide.
To any but myself.
Oh! take my word, this world of
Will flssle out and end
Before you'll ever ueu again
Tb books the books you lend.